Asda has announced that it has teamed up with Barclays to open bank branches at eight of its supermarkets next year.

GENERAL MERCHANDISE

Asda to trial Barclays bank branches in eight stores

8 November 2013 | by The Retail Bulletin

Asda has announced that it has teamed up with Barclays to open bank branches at eight of its supermarkets next year.

Barclays branches will launch in four Asda stores in February 2014 as part of a pilot scheme. The first branch will open in Asda Birchwood in Cheshire and will be followed by branches in Pudsey, North Watford and Broadstairs, with the aim of extending the pilot to a total of eight Asda stores by early 2014.

The branches will open seven days week with services available throughout the stores’ opening hours.

Karen Hubbard, executive director for property and multi-channel at Asda said: "This is the next step in the evolution of how we continue to make our stores relevant to our customers’ everyday needs, giving them access to banking services to use at their convenience – when they want, and how they want it.

“Access to banking services is an under-rated but important asset to any community but in many areas, these services just aren’t available to families. In partnership with Barclays, we’ll trial banking services in our stores for the communities which need it the most.”

The new branches within Asda will be available to all new and existing Barclays customers. While Barclays staff will be on hand to assist customers during traditional opening hours, the branches will host new technology outside of these hours to enable customers to carry out regular transactions such as paying in cash and cheques, paying bills, withdrawing and transferring money.

Steve Cooper, head of Barclays retail and business bank, said: “We’ve spoken to our customers who use our everyday and business banking services in our branches and they’ve told us their time is precious so would benefit from being able to multi-task, park easily and visit branches with longer opening hours. This partnership with Asda means they can do their food shop and bank at the same time, with the opportunity for a new flexible banking experience in a way that’s most convenient for our customers.”

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